Astros continued success will help build game, fan base in South Texas

Some Corpus Christi fans made the trip to the World Series. Here are their thoughts on Saturday night.
Len Hayward

Fans watch batting practice before Game 5 of baseball's World Series between the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)(Photo: David J. Phillip, AP)

HOUSTON — There probably is arguably not a Houston Astros player that has as much connection with the fans as Craig Biggio.

Native Texan Nolan Ryan has as strong of a connection but he was signed as a free agent and Jeff Bagwell is considered one of the club’s great players. But Biggio is a homegrown talent who was the face of the franchise for nearly two decades. And he knows as well as anyone the kind of impact a successful team can have on a city and a region.

The team’s success in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey has deepened that connection, but in future years, as the Astros' young team continues to have success, it can do nothing but help grow the game in South Texas and its fan base.

“It’s been a great postseason, and we are happy to be in it, but it’s always great for the game,” Biggio said just at the end of Astros’ batting practice on Sunday. “The rise has been exciting and when kids get excited to watch what they are watching and hopefully kids will like to play it.”

It is hard to ultimately judge the impact an Astros’ World Series title will have in South Texas. There could be impacts felt for Hooks games, knowing a future World Series champion might be playing in your hometown ballpark, and it also could entrench the Astros as the favorite pro baseball team in South Texas. It could even impact merchandise sales.

Fans try for a fly ball during batting practice before Game 5 of baseball's World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)(Photo: Charlie Riedel, AP)

Plus, the Astros' success with a young team can help build interest among young players and maybe keep the interest of some players. South Texas is known for its baseball culture and already widespread baseball participation, and an Astros world championship may help to make it even bigger.

“These are exciting players that are fun to watch and I’m sure just like there were guys that imitated Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio’s swings, I’m sure there are going to be kids who are going to be trying to imitate George Springer or that little bat waggle Jose Altuve has,” said Astros radio broadcaster Robert Ford. “It helps especially when you talk about South Texas because there a lot of people in Corpus Christi that recognize those names, watching George Springer, watching Dallas Keuchel and see them get to the big leagues.”

Houston played its final home game for 2017 in Minute Maid Park on Sunday night, the latest in the calendar a game has been played in the downtown Houston stadium. If the Astros can keep this group of players together, they will more easily be able to build on their group of steadfastly loyal diehards by sustaining support in South Texas.

“These are the sort of seasons, these are the sorts of teams that turn people into baseball fans, not only for the fact it’s a very good team and a lot of great players but a lot of likeable players,” Ford said. “These are the sort of people fans are going to remember for the rest of their lives.”